Dispensing device



mmh 4,1941. P, K, WILUAMS l Y 2,234,151

DISPENSINQ DEVICE A Filed 22, 1940 Patented Mar. 4, 1941 DISPENSING DEVICE Philip K. Williams, Glastonbury, Conn., assignor vIso The J. B. Williams Company, Glastonbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application January 22, 1940, Serial No. 315,043

3 Claims.

My invention Arelates to the class of devices used for dispensing matter contained therein and of Va non-liquid nature, and an object of vmy invention, among others, is the production of a device having means for varying the amount of powdered material to be delivered; and a further object of the invention is the `production of a -device that shall be extremely neat in appearance, and in the use of which the contents may be discharged in an eicient and satisfactory manner.

One frm of a device embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein are set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of my improved dispensing device.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the top of the device with the cap removed.

Figure 3 is a top plan view with the cap removed.

Figures 4 and 5 are isometric views illustrating the use of the device.

Figure 6 is a view of the upper part of the can with the neck and cap cut in section.

It is not my intent that my device shall be confined to any particular shape or form or that it shall be composed of any particular material, but I have found a very satisfactory structure to embody a can of generally rectangular oblong form in cross section, as disclosed in Fig. 3, and it may be conveniently made from metal. In the accompanying drawing the numeral 5 denotes the body of the can of any suitable size having a rib 6 extending around the top edge to receive the bottom edge of a cover 1 tted over a flange projecting above the rib 6 in a manner common to devices of this sort. The cover may be secured in place in any suitable manner if desired, or may be fitted so tightly that it will not be readily displaced.

A neck 8 rises from the cover in the form oi a dome having a rounded top 9. This dome encloses an outlet chamber IU which opens for its full area into the main chamber in the can body. A dispensing opening is formed in Ithis top and this opening is provided with means so shaped that different amounts of material may be obtained as desired. This opening is in the form of a slot having -a narrow portion Il and a wider part I2, as shown in Fig. 3. This slot may extend in any direction desired although as shown it is arranged .to extend in the direction of the longer dimension of the cross sectional shape of the body. The `outlet chamber Ill will aid in dispensing powder out of the end of the slot desired, as such powder will not flow freely enough to readily iill the space in the outlet chamber at the top of the slot, whichever end maybe uppermost when powder is being discharged and this position being controlled bythe amount of powder desired. If a considerable quantity of powder is required the can is turned with the wider portion I2 of the slot downward, as shown in Fig. 4, whereby a considerable quantity I3 of powder or similar material may be obtained, it being understood that the can is particularly adapted to contain talc or similar material to be used after shaving or for other toilet purposes. If a smaller quantity of powder is desired then the can is turned with the narrowerportion II of the slot downward, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby a smaller quantity I4 of powder will i'low from the narrower portion of the slot.

As hereinbefore stated the powder is not of such free owing character as to readily fill the upper part of the outlet chamber so that there will be a space at the uppermost end of the 4slot causing the powder toy flow through the opposite or lowermost part of the slot so that when the can is turned to either of the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the slot will not necessarily be lled toits top end and the powder will flow mainly through that portion of the slot which is downward.

A cap I5 is formed to t over the neck 8 and thereby close the outlet slot, said cap and neck being of any suitable form to retain the cap in place by frictional contact between the parts. The top of the cap on the inside thereof may be lined with a. packing I6 of any suitable soft material to be pressed against the top of the neck and close the slot when the cap is in place, this lining being common to structures of this type and a brief showing thereof only being required herein.

If desired, after the contents of the can have been expended, the can may be used for the deposit of discarded safety razor blades, the slot being capable of receiving blades of various shapes and makes.

The angle at which the can is tipped when dispensing the contents will of course regulate the amount owing through the wider or narrower portion of the slot.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best n,

iol

embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative andthat the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device including a body with a chamber therein., a neck projecting from said body and closed at its end creating an outlet chamber, and a slot for dispensing material from said chamber, said slot extending lengthwise centrally substantially across said closed end and being divided into two parts each of which is of uniform width diierent from the width of the ,other and extending from one end a substantial distance toward the lengthwise center of the slot thereby providing for the graduated discharge of the contents of the device in different amounts from the two parts of the slot at opposite sides y thereof by positioning the device with a side in line with the slot downwardly whereby outflow of material from that part of the slot which is lowest will take place. v

1 2. A dispensing device including a body closed at. one end to provide a `chamber therein, a neck extending from the end ofvsaid chamber at substantially the central portion thereof forming an outlet chamber, and a slot opening into said outlet chamber, said vslot extending lengthwise centrally substantially across said closed end and being divided into two parts each of which is of uniform width different from the width of the other andextending from one end a substantial `distance toward .the lengthwise center of the slot thereby providing for the graduated discharge of the contents of the device in diierent amounts from the two parts of the slot at opposite sides thereof by positioning the device with a side in line with the g slot downwardly whereby outflow of materialfrom that part of the slot which is lowest will take place.

3. A dispensing device including a body with a chamber therein, a neck extending from the end of said body at substantially the central part thereof forming an outlet chamber, a slot opening into said outlet chamber, said slot extending lengthwise centrally substantially across said closed end and being divided into two parts each vof which is of uniform width different from the width of the other and extending from one end a -substantial distance toward the lengthwise center of the slot thereby providing for the graduated discharge of the contents of the device in diiferent amounts from the two parts of the slot at opposite sides thereof by positioning the device with a side in line with Vthe slot downwardly whereby outflow of material from that part of the slot which islowest willtake place. 

